puritanical

adjective

pu·​ri·​tan·​i·​cal ˌpyu̇r-ə-ˈta-ni-kəl 

1

: of, relating to, or characterized by a rigid morality

2

: puritan

puritanically

ˌpyu̇r-ə-ˈta-ni-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms of puritanical

• Victorian
• prudish

Examples of puritanical in a Sentence

some of the state laws concerning sexual behavior are vestiges of a more puritanical time and are rarely, if ever, enforced

Recent Examples on the Web

Saudi Arabia’s founder had just taken control of Mecca with the help of a fiercely puritanical religious militia. —Iqbal Akhtar, The Conversation, 25 May 2026

There were also unanticipated consequences in Saudi Arabia, where the monarchy used the great oil wealth created to promote a puritanical, fundamentalist version of Islam. —The Week Uk, TheWeek, 23 May 2026

In the song, an old-growth tree provides cover from the watchful eye of puritanical church folk; chili dogs and ice cream are an excuse to break free from parents. —Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026

Many people on the internet did not take kindly to such puritanical belt-tightening. —Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for puritanical

• biomechanical
• thermomechanical
• botanical
• brahmanical
• mechanical
• tyrannical
• electromechanical
• panicle